Kahn had always been popular at school.
Aside from his striking looks, he was a powerful Firebender and far more mature than boys his age, giving everyone around him a strange sense of trust and security.
His friendly yet independent personality added a mysterious aura that only made him stand out more.
And then there was that incident.
Kahn once stepped in to defend Kou Li and another girl from a school bully, scaring the boy so badly that he never dared to cross Kahn again. After that, Kahn's reputation skyrocketed.
So naturally, his popularity wasn't surprising. He received confessions from girls frequently.
What Kahn himself didn't know was that he actually had a sizeable school fan club.
What he knew even less was that Ty Lee was not only a member…
but also a high-ranking member.
To be fair, Ty Lee had originally liked Kahn a little.
In her eyes, anyone who could stand up to Azula—and live—was already impressive, and Kahn was flawless in nearly every way.
But after learning that Azula also liked Kahn, Ty Lee struggled for a while before ultimately surrendering and retreating to her position as a loyal friend and enthusiastic little fan.
"Sorry, Kahn, Azula is way too terrifying. I don't want to die young!"
And thus, Ty Lee's very first crush ended before it even started.
Returning to the main topic—although Ty Lee was cheerful and silly on the surface, she wasn't actually stupid.
After realizing she might have said something dangerous that would bring trouble for Kahn, she quickly tried to redeem him while explaining the situation honestly.
"Don't worry, Azula! Kahn never accepted any girl's confession. And honestly, none of them are as amazing as you. So there's nothing to worry about."
"Not as amazing as me? Obviously."
Azula crossed her arms, unimpressed.
Of course she didn't take those girls seriously—but what if Kahn did something unbelievably stupid?
Fortunately, Kahn had already graduated. That meant more time with him, and fewer opportunities for others.
Still… it reminded her of something important.
Kahn was someone she had set her sights on. His excellence was undeniable. It was only natural that others would find him attractive.
Which meant one thing:
Azula, for the first time in her life, felt a sense of crisis.
Then she asked the question both Mai and Ty Lee feared.
"Do you know what kind of girl Kahn actually likes?"
Mai and Ty Lee exchanged looks, then shook their heads.
Since Kahn rejected every confession he received, they too had been curious. But whenever they asked, he would just say:
"They're too young. We can talk about it later."
In this world, children matured early. By age eleven or twelve, many started dating. Mai and Zuko were examples, and Azula's current behavior was completely normal.
So to them, Kahn's responses were baffling.
Mai shrugged.
"When it comes to this, Kahn might be the most difficult person among us to deal with."
If Kahn heard this, he'd probably break down crying.
Because that was literally what he thought!
If he were sixteen or seventeen, maybe. But dating a bunch of kids who still hadn't grown out of their childish phase?
If he actually felt that way, he'd turn himself in.
After failing repeatedly to make progress with Kahn, Azula grew frustrated and gritted her teeth.
"I don't believe that guy is really that hard to deal with!"
Mai and Ty Lee silently looked away.
Kahn was indeed harder to handle than most people, but… Azula should probably reflect on herself more.
And so, the first day without Kahn ended.
Despite the minor emotional issues involving Kahn, Azula slept surprisingly well. She even had a pleasant dream.
Life without Kahn seemed… fine.
Even good.
However—
On the second day, she hung out with Mai and Ty Lee again, but it already felt duller.
On the third day, Mai and Ty Lee went back to school, and Azula returned to being tormented by her tutors.
On the fourth day, she felt a bit bored.
On the fifth day, her father, Fire Lord Ozai, casually mentioned Kahn. Azula brushed it off again—but still felt bored.
On the sixth day, she was extremely bored and missed Kahn a little. Her hands "itched," so she used the excuse of "reviewing firebending technique" to beat up her former instructor.
On the seventh day: bored.
At some point, she realized she had grown used to doing everything with Kahn.
It wasn't just that she liked him—Kahn matched her strength, her personality, and her worldview more perfectly than Zuko, Ozai, or even her mother, Ursa.
Since Ursa's disappearance, the bond between Azula and Kahn had only grown deeper—far beyond what most people could imagine.
By now, their relationship wasn't something that could be described with simple words.
To Azula, Kahn was the most special existence in the world.
And one thing was clear:
She would never allow Kahn to slip from her grasp.
On the eighth day, she went to find Mai and Ty Lee again. Still boring.
On the ninth day: extremely boring.
On the tenth day, Kahn was scheduled to return. She dressed up and waited all day—but he didn't show up. Something unexpected delayed him, and she grew irritable.
On the eleventh day, Kahn still didn't return. She was furious and vented by beating up Wolf.
On the twelfth day, near dusk—Kahn finally returned.
"I thought someone would've ended up lying dead in the street by now."
Azula's heart almost exploded with joy, but she refused to show it.
She immediately twisted all that excitement into fiery words, wrapping her emotions in sharp mockery.
And before she realized it, the words came pouring out, hitting Kahn like a tidal wave.
"…Alright, I'm really beyond help."
As she watched Kahn looking at her in confusion, Azula wished she could slap herself unconscious. But it was far too late.
Fortunately, Kahn was already used to Azula's sudden mood swings.
When he finally regained his bearings, he said one sentence—one that instantly shut her up.
"There's a new clue about Ursa's whereabouts."
In an instant, the careless atmosphere froze.
Azula's breath caught as the image of her long-lost mother flashed through her mind—her mother who had vanished without a trace all those years ago.
Her rationality returned in a single breath.
She knew exactly what mattered most now.
Everything else could wait.
She inhaled deeply and said in a calm voice:
"Let's talk in detail."
...
Author's Note:
The full completed version of Avatar: Rebirth of the Strongest Firebender — Part 1 (ATLA) is now available on Patreon!
Part 2 — Arc 1, set in The Legend of Korra era, has also been completed and continues the story into the next generation with stronger enemies, expanded worldbuilding, and major character developments ahead.
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